Top stories concerning British Isles ancestral research from Irish born Scottish based professional family historian, author and tutor Chris Paton. Feel free to quote from this blog, but please credit British GENES if you do so. Should you wish to get in touch, contact me at christopherpaton @ tiscali.co.uk. Happy hunting!

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Lichfield Consistory Court Wills Index 1650-1700

Between 1541 and 1836 the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry was extensive, covering the entire counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, north Shropshire and north Warwickshire. The bishop of Lichfield and Coventry had jurisdiction over probate in this area, which was exercised through the Lichfield Consistory Court.

The index to over 28,300 wills and testamentary documents recorded in the Lichfield Consistory Court 1650-1700 is now available to search on the National Wills Index. This index - British Record Society Volume 125 - includes names of testator / testatrix, occupation and place of abode, which will help you to locate the original document at Lichfield Record Office. This compliments Lichfield Wills and Administrations 1516-1652 which already form part of the National Wills Index.